Slovakia is preparing a new five-year euro-denominated benchmark issue and has mandated three local banks as joint lead managers for the issue, SITA news agency reported, quoting a statement by the finance ministry’s Debt and Liquidity Management Agency (ARDAL). The banks are CSOB bank, part of Belgian KBC Group, Tatra Banka, part of Austria's Raiffeisen group and VUB Banka group, part of Italy's banking group Intesa Sanpaolo. The transaction will be launched in the near future subject to market conditions.
Slovakia, rated A2 by Moody’s, A by S&P and A+ by Fitch, tapped the international debt markets last in February. It sold then EUR 1.75bn worth of a 10-year bond amid strong demand with bids reaching EUR 2.2bn, which helped push borrowing costs down to record lows. The bonds, which carry a 3% coupon, were sold at a yield to maturity of 3.13%, which corresponded to a spread of 122 bps over mid-swaps.
In November 2012, Slovakia sold EUR 1.25bn worth of 12-year government bonds with a coupon of 3.375% at a spread of 150bps over mid-swaps.
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